The entertainment section of The Pillar is meant to show Fairleigh Dickinson students what’s new and different in the entertainment world, especially when it is happening in our area.

The Luna Laval is a four-piece band hailing from Old Bridge, N.J., whose drummer, Andy Katz, happens to be a senior here at the College at Florham.
Other members include Jakub Szczepaniak on vocals, Jeff Haberman on guitar, and Tom Risi on bass.

Their newest creation, “Horoscopes,” consists of three earthy tracks, which create a hybrid sound of nature versus nurture.
Though the audio can be gritty at times, the overall package creates an atmosphere of serenity, no matter how heart-wrenching the lyrics may be.

The EP starts with “Presence,” a slower song introduced by a soothing rain storm. Szczepaniak’s bellowing whine follows the pitter patter, accompanied with echoing that lets the listener know this will not be a carefree number.

The voice that precedes the bellowing is a perfect hybrid of Jarrod Gorbel’s work in “The Honorary Title” and Jesse Lacey’s somber tone in the song “Me vs. Maradonna vs. Elvis.”

Paired with a simple cymbal hit and single guitar has the listener focus on the lyrics, obviously about a love lost in time. The chorus, “I just can’t seem to get you off of my mind,” verifies this feeling, a line that says just enough.

“Will we learn to share this empty feeling?/Passion knows no other sympathy” is another line that catches the listener’s attention, but not necessarily for all the right reasons.

Though they hold a sense of profoundness, the lyrics to “Presence” might be trying too hard, and by the third chorus the song begins to be redundant. Sure, the repetition is meant to embody the constant back and forth of loneliness in a relationship, but it may be trying to convey something that isn’t there.

“Presence” ends with an upbeat drum that leads into “Speaking Freely,” a song that holds an entirely different feel from its predecessor.
The guitar has a Silver Sun Pickups feel to it. Matched with the tribal/dancy sounding drum, it makes the song refreshing and unique.

The lyric, “We’re together but in separate places,” appears to hold the theme of the song, matched with the echoing “round and round in circles,” which lends itself well to the music.

Unfortunately, “Speaking Freely” runs into the same problem as the first song; it reeks of unnecessary repetition.
They finish strong with “Cachet,” a song that sounds nothing like the first two, and is a refreshing change.

The lyrics seem to mean something without forcing it and the guitar intertwines perfectly with the simple drum beat.
It appears sincere, and because of this sounds the best to the ear.

The only awkward parts to the song were the backup vocals, often strained for emotional effect but often came out flat or out of tune completely.
It was almost going for a Taking Back Sunday feel but missed the mark. Overall, the album has a strong sense of identity, and acts successfully as a melting pot of many different genres.

The vocals are strong, the music is simple and catchy, and all three songs stay in the mind for a while after the initial listen.